Macdonell dreaming of first-team breakthrough for Derbyshire

Up-and-coming all-rounder Charlie Macdonell says he he is hoping for plenty more proud moments with Derbyshire to match that of his first-class debut.

The 21-year-old wants to secure a regular spot in the first team this year after making his Specsavers County Championship debut against Essex in August, scoring 21 and 35 not out.

Macdonell earned the call-up after performing well for the second eleven, scoring 290 runs at an average of 48. Now he is looking to justify the signing of a new one-year deal in October.

“Training is going very well for me,” he said. “I am in every day from 8 am to 6 pm and making the most of my time. I am really enjoying it and I feel like I am almost ready now. We’re just getting into game scenarios and I’m doing some planning in my head, figuring out how I am going to go about my methods during the season to do as well as I can.

“Having the full winter to work on my skills against top players and getting the right advice from people like Wayne Madsen and Billy Godleman helps a lot when you are a player coming through. They have a lot of experience and knowledge, so you can get some great advice from them.”

“As a team, I hope we can push for some trophies. I think we have the squad. It’s a question of bringing it all together. Personally, I want to pile on the runs and take a few wickets with my off-spin.”